Saturday, January 19, 2013

Filipino Martyr: VICENTE MOLINA


 VICENTE MOLINA
(ca.1892-1897)
Katipunero
A revolutionary, Vicente Molina joined the Katipunan in its early days in 1892. Initiated
on 2 September 1892 by the much younger Andres Bonifacio, he formed with him and Restituto
Javier a Katipunan triangle, at the time the organization’s recruitment method. Of his background
little is known. He was a friend of Bonifacio’s father, Santiago, and was, in fact, Andres’ baptismal
godfather.
In February 1893, he became treasurer of the Katipunan’s second Supreme Council, then
headed by Roman Basa as president, with Bonifacio as fiscal and Jose Turiano Santiago as
secretary. He was elected anew to the same position in 1894 and again in January 1896, and was
serving thus when the Katipunan was discovered in August of the same year.
He was among the Katipuneros including Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto and Jose Dizon, who
planned the meeting with the captain of the Japanese vessel Kongo, regarding the organization’s
planned arms acquisition. Pio Valenzuela likewise implicated him as a comrade in the subversive
movement in his testimony before the authorities on 21 October 1896.
What subsequently became of him is not clear. An Issue of the Spanish paper El Comercio,
dated February 6, 1897, contains a list of convicted seditionists executed in Bagumbayan in the
morning of the same day. It included a Vicente Molina. However, news accounts in the same
paper’s issue of the day before, February 5, cites the posting of a military order of execution
scheduled for February 6, twice mentioning a Vicente Median Urbano, not a Vicente Molina.
Nonetheless, most other accounts, including Artemio Ricarte’s Memoirs, mention Vicente Molina
as one of the Katipuneros executed during the period of tyranny that followed the Katipunan’s
discovery.

References:
Agoncillo, Teodoro A. The Revolt of the Masses. Q.C.: University of the Philippines,
1956.
Corpuz, Onofre D. Saga and Triumph: The Philippine Revolution Against Spain. Manila:
The Philippine Centennial Commission, 1999.
Kalaw, Teodoro M. The Philippine Revolution. Mandaluyong, Rizal: Jorge B. Vargas
Filipiniana Foundation, 1969.
Manuel, E. Arsenio. Dictionary of Philippine Biography. Volume I.. Quezon City:
Filipiniana Publications, 1955.
Medina, Isagani R. “Ang Katipunan Sa Lungsod ng Maynila” in Ang Rebolusyong 1896
Sa Maynila. Manila: Manila Studies Program, CAL, UP, 1998
Minutes of the Katipunan. Manila: National Heroes Commission, 1964.
Zaide, Gregorio F. History of the Katipunan. n.p.: Gregorio F. Zaide, 1939.

No comments:

Post a Comment